On October 16, 2003, the first William F. McKenna Awards for leadership in
the field of affordable housing were presented at the 10th Annual Tribute
to Affordable Housing Leaders sponsored by LINC Housing Corporation, a
non-profit housing corporation that Mr. McKenna was instrumental in creating
in 1984. The first two recipients are Neelura Bell, Program Director for
the Los Angeles office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC),
and Sister Diane Donoghue, Executive Director and co-founder of Esperanza
Community Housing Corporation.

William McKenna was a founding partner of the national law firm of McKenna,
Conner & Cuneo. Throughout his career, Mr. McKenna served on national
policy making committees in the fields of housing, finance, and organized
crime. In 1954, at the personal request of President Dwight D. Eisenhower,
he investigated and revised the housing policies for the Eisenhower
Administration. He served as Chair of The Presidents Commission on
Housing and Chair of the Federal Savings and Loan Advisory Council. Mr.
McKenna also served as General Counsel for the Committee on Government
Operations, the U.S. House of Representatives, Chief Counsel for Government
Reorganization Subcommittee, and the Joint Anti-Racketeering Subcommittee.
In 1954, Mr. McKenna established the organized crime unit within the Criminal
Division for the U.S. Department of Justice. In California, Mr. McKenna was
Commissioner of the states Constitutional Revision Committee and served
for many years as Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San
Francisco.

We at LINC Housing are honored to have had Mr. McKenna as Chairman of the
Board of Directors from our beginning as the Corporate Fund for Housing (CFH),
LINCs predecessor. He was instrumental in the founding and initial
directions of CFH and then LINC and served as chair of both boards from
inception until his resignation in 1999. Inspired by Bill McKennas
vision, LINC has created more than 7,000 affordable homes in more than 60
communities across California. We believe that these homes are a part of Mr.
McKennas legacy and we will remember and recognize him each year with the
annual presentation of the Award to leaders who reflect his commitment to our
industry and the residents we serve.